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What If BMW Made An SUV From Its Speedtop?

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Independent render takes design cues from the Speedtop coachbuilt model. The artist used the Xiaomi YU7 as a base, keeping similar overall proportions. It masks its origin well, featuring many distinct design details from the concept. BMW has had its fair share of divisive designs in recent years, with models like the XM, iX, and the latest 7-Series sparking strong reactions. But every now and then, the brand rolls out something that turns heads for the right reasons. The new Speedtop is one of those hits, a coachbuilt stunner limited to just 70 units worldwide. Naturally, it raises an interesting question: what if a more mainstream BMW SUV took cues from that sleek design? Read: Only 70 People Get This BMW Joke That’s exactly what these renderings show. Eager to see what a new SUV from BMW could look like, perhaps taking the form of a second-generation XM , digital artist Theottle has created the BMW Speedcross. It takes the design of the Speedtop but morphs it int...
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Mercedes Says The World Wasn’t Ready For The EQS

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Mercedes will replace the EQS with both EV and ICE versions of the next S-Class. According to the brand’s design chief, the EQS was launched 10 years too early. In 2024, the carmaker tried to improve the sedan’s looks with a refreshed front grille. The Mercedes-Benz EQS was supposed to be a solid alternative to the Tesla Model S, having launched at a time when premium brands were doing everything they could to establish themselves in the EV market. However, its styling, defined by the ultra-aerodynamic “jelly bean” design, has long faced criticism, which has, in part, hindered the sales Mercedes had hoped for. Now, the automaker has admitted it missed the mark with the EQS. Mercedes-Benz’s design chief, Gorden Wagener, recently admitted that the EQS might have been “probably 10 years too early” and acknowledged that the vehicle wasn’t marketed in the best way. While many view the EQS as an all-electric version of the S-Class, Mercedes insists that was never the intent...
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Hemi’s Return Sparked 10,000+ Orders In 24 Hours

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Ram’s decision to bring the Hemi back in the 1500 has been a huge success. The company received more than 10,000 orders in a day. The 5.7-liter V8 engine produces 395 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque. Last month, Ram introduced the 2026 1500 and confirmed the legendary 5.7-liter Hemi V8 was making a comeback. While it was only gone for one model year, Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis admitted the company “screwed up when we dropped the Hemi.” Its return was celebrated by fans, who spoke with their wallets. The numbers are truly impressive as Stellantis North America’s head of U.S. sales, Jeff Kommor, revealed the truck brand received “over 10,000 orders in the first 24 hours of the June announcement.” To put that into perspective, Ram sold 51,848 light-duty pickups in the second quarter. More: Ram Screwed Up Dumping The Hemi V8 So They Brought It Back As a refresher, the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 is a $1,200 option on most versions of the truck and it produces 395 hp (295 kW / 400 PS) and 410 ...
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Honda And Sony’s New EV Has Lost Over $360M Before Even Launching

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Honda and Sony posted a ¥52 billion ($362 million) loss for their Afeela EV project. Last year, Honda Sony Mobility posted a loss of ¥20.5 billion ($143 million). Analysts worry that this signals the challenges of entering the luxury EV market. A decade ago, Honda and Sony partnering with each other would have resulted in a Gran Turismo concept at best. However, today it has translated into the sleek-looking Afeela Joint EV project. But there’s one problem: before even selling a single car, Sony Honda Mobility has posted an operating loss of approximately $362 million (¥52 billion). It’s not just a matter of pre-launch development expenses either. According to recently released financial disclosures, losses more than doubled compared to last year’s ¥20.5 billion deficit, highlighting just how expensive it is to play catch-up in the premium EV market . Set to debut later this year, the Afeela will command a starting price of $89,900, a clear sign of the market positionin...
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Toyota Puts New Electric SUV On Ice As Demand For One Gas Model Soars

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Toyota has delayed the introduction of a new large electric SUV to 2028, reports say. The move is a response to slow EV sales and strong demand for the Grand Highlander. The brand will now build the delayed EV alongside another electric SUV in 2026. As demand patterns shift in the auto industry, the tension between future-focused electric vehicles and proven combustion models continues to shape manufacturing plans. Toyota has always been a strong believer in that a multi-energy approach is best, which is why you’ll find EVs, hydrogen fuel-cell cars and combustion models in its showrooms. But the brand is experiencing such a massive demand for one particular ICE SUV it was forced to press pause on a planned new EV to make room. Related: Akio Toyoda Says EVs Are Dirtier Than You Think An electric SUV that was to be built at the automaker’s Princeton, Indiana, plant from 2027 now won’t start rolling off the line until 2028, according to a Bloomberg report. And that line...
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This Showy Send-Off Celebrates The Sportiest Mercedes CLA

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Mercedes-AMG is saying farewell to the CLA 45 S with a new Final Edition. It arrives early next year with special graphics and two-tone accents. Power comes from a 2.0-liter turbo engine producing 416 hp and 369 lb-ft. Mercedes introduced the redesigned CLA in March and now the company is preparing to say farewell to its predecessor. As part of this effort, they’ve introduced the CLA 45 S Final Edition. Set to arrive in the United States early next year, the special edition features a Manufaktur Mountain Grey Magno exterior with black and yellow graphics on the front doors and mirror caps. This two-tone theme is echoed on the 19-inch forged wheels, which have a matte black finish as well as contrasting yellow accents. More: Mercedes-AMG Takes Aim At Tesla With Electric CLA Rounding out the highlights are a silver chrome gas cap and gloss black brake calipers with white “AMG” badging. The car also comes equipped with the AMG Night Plus and AMG Aerodynamics Plus package...
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General Lee Replica Squanders Landing, Nearly Misses Cameraman

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A Dukes of Hazzard-themed stunt nearly went badly wrong in Somerset, Kentucky. The fake General Lee jumped over a fountain and nearly took out a cameraman. Stuntman Ray Kohn uses a Ford Crown Victoria dressed up like a classic Charger. Forty years after The Dukes of Hazzard finished its original run, the image of an orange Dodge Charger flying through the air is still etched in our brains – well, at least to those of us who are old enough to have watched it, anyway. And it’s an image one cameraman will have permanently seared into his memory banks after he was nearly taken out in a modern recreation of one of those famous leaps. Car fans at an event at Somerset, KY, had gathered to watch stuntman Ray Kohn of Northeast Ohio Dukes launch his General Lee replica in the town center, and he didn’t disappoint. The ’69 Charger lookalike, which is in reality a cleverly disguised Ford Crown Victoria , flew 150 ft (46 m) right through the middle of a fountain whose water had been...
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